1 Kings 20:5
New International Version
The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben-Hadad says: ‘I sent to demand your silver and gold, your wives and your children.

New Living Translation
Soon Ben-hadad’s messengers returned again and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have already demanded that you give me your silver, gold, wives, and children.

English Standard Version
The messengers came again and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘I sent to you, saying, “Deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children.”

Berean Standard Bible
The messengers came back and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent to you to demand your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.

King James Bible
And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

New King James Version
Then the messengers came back and said, “Thus speaks Ben-Hadad, saying, ‘Indeed I have sent to you, saying, “You shall deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children”;

New American Standard Bible
Then the messengers returned and said, “Ben-hadad says this: ‘I did indeed send word to you, saying, “You shall give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children”;

NASB 1995
Then the messengers returned and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad, ‘Surely, I sent to you saying, “You shall give me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children,”

NASB 1977
Then the messengers returned and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad, ‘Surely, I sent to you saying, “You shall give me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children,”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the messengers returned and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad, ‘Surely, I sent to you saying, “You shall give me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children,”

Amplified Bible
The messengers returned and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘I indeed sent word to you, saying, “You shall give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children,”

Christian Standard Bible
The messengers then returned and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent messengers to you, saying, “You are to give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The messengers then returned and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent messengers to you, saying: You are to give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.

American Standard Version
And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, I sent indeed unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

Contemporary English Version
Later, Benhadad sent another messenger to say to Ahab, "I already told you to give me your silver and gold, your wives, and your children.

English Revised Version
And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, I sent indeed unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But Benhadad sent messengers back [to Ahab]. They said, "Benhadad has sent this message to you: 'Your silver, gold, wives, and children are mine. Give [them to me].

Good News Translation
Later the messengers came back to Ahab with another demand from Benhadad: "I sent you word that you were to hand over to me your silver and gold, your women and your children.

International Standard Version
After delivering Ahab's answer, the envoys returned with this message: "This is what Ben-hadad says: 'I've sent my envoys to you to tell you that your silver, gold, wives, and children are to be given to me.

Majority Standard Bible
The messengers came back and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent to you to demand your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.

NET Bible
The messengers came again and said, "This is what Ben Hadad says, 'I sent this message to you, "You must give me your silver, gold, wives, and sons."

New Heart English Bible
The messengers came again, and said, "Ben Hadad says, 'I sent indeed to you, saying, "You shall deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children;

Webster's Bible Translation
And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, Although I have sent to thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver to me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

World English Bible
The messengers came again and said, “Ben Hadad says, ‘I sent indeed to you, saying, “You shall deliver me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the messengers turn back and say, “Thus spoke Ben-Hadad, saying, Surely I sent to you, saying, Your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your sons, you give to me;

Young's Literal Translation
And the messengers turn back and say, 'Thus spake Ben-Hadad, saying, Surely I sent unto thee, saying, Thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy sons, to me thou dost give;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the messengers will turn back and say, Thus said Ben-hadad, saying, That I sent to thee, saying, Thy silver and thy gold and thy wives and thy sons thou shalt give to me,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the messengers came again, and said: Thus saith Benadad, who sent us unto thee: Thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children thou shalt deliver up to me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the messengers, returning, said: “Thus says Benhadad, who sent us to you: Your silver and your gold, and your wives and your sons, you shall give to me.

New American Bible
But the messengers came again and said, “This is Ben-hadad’s message: ‘I sent you word: Give me your silver and gold, your wives and your children.

New Revised Standard Version
The messengers came again and said: “Thus says Ben-hadad: I sent to you, saying, ‘Deliver to me your silver and gold, your wives and children’;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the messengers came again, and said, Thus says Bar-hadad, Although I sent to you at first, saying, You shall deliver to me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Messengers returned and they said: “Thus says BarHadad: that which I sent to you at the first, that your silver and your gold and your wives and your sons you shall give to me
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the messengers came again, and said: 'Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying: I sent indeed unto thee, saying: Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the messengers came again, and said, Thus says the son of Ader, I sent to thee, saying, Thou shalt give me thy silver and thy gold, and thy wives and thy children.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ben-Hadad Attacks Samaria
4And the king of Israel replied, “Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have.” 5The messengers came back and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent to you to demand your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children. 6But about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to search your palace and the houses of your servants. They will seize and carry away all that is precious to you.’ ”…

Cross References
2 Kings 18:14-16
So Hezekiah king of Judah sent word to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong; withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand from me.” And the king of Assyria exacted from Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. / Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace. / At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold with which he had plated the doors and doorposts of the temple of the LORD, and he gave it to the king of Assyria.

2 Kings 19:9-13
Now Sennacherib had been warned about Tirhakah king of Cush: “Look, he has set out to fight against you.” So Sennacherib again sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, / “Give this message to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you by saying that Jerusalem will not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. / Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries, devoting them to destruction. Will you then be spared? ...

2 Chronicles 32:17-19
He also wrote letters mocking the LORD, the God of Israel, and saying against Him: “Just as the gods of the nations did not deliver their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.” / Then the Assyrians called out loudly in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them in order to capture the city. / They spoke against the God of Jerusalem as they had spoken against the gods of the peoples of the earth—the work of human hands.

Isaiah 36:4-10
The Rabshakeh said to them, “Tell Hezekiah that this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: What is the basis of this confidence of yours? / You claim to have a strategy and strength for war, but these are empty words. In whom are you now trusting, that you have rebelled against me? / Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. ...

Isaiah 37:9-13
Now Sennacherib had been warned about Tirhakah king of Cush: “He has set out to fight against you.” On hearing this, Sennacherib sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, / “Give this message to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you by saying that Jerusalem will not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. / Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries, devoting them to destruction. Will you then be spared? ...

Jeremiah 37:5-10
Pharaoh’s army had left Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem. / Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet: / “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says that you are to tell the king of Judah, who sent you to Me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to help you, will go back to its own land of Egypt. ...

Jeremiah 38:17-18
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you indeed surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive. / But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape their grasp.’”

Ezekiel 29:18-20
“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor strenuously against Tyre. Every head was made bald and every shoulder made raw. But he and his army received no wages from Tyre for the labor they expended on it. / Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will carry off its wealth, seize its spoil, and remove its plunder. This will be the wages for his army. / I have given him the land of Egypt as the reward for his labor, because it was done for Me, declares the Lord GOD.

Daniel 3:15-18
Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the statue I have made, very good. But if you refuse to worship, you will be thrown at once into the blazing fiery furnace. Then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands?” / Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. / If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. ...

Daniel 6:7-10
All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a decree that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions. / Therefore, O king, establish the decree and sign the document so that it cannot be changed—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” / Therefore King Darius signed the written decree. ...

Matthew 4:8-10
Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. / “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.” / “Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus told him. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

Matthew 10:18-20
On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. / But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. / For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Matthew 26:59-61
Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death. / But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward / and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

Mark 13:9-11
So be on your guard. You will be delivered over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues. On My account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. / And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations. / But when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand what to say. Instead, speak whatever you are given at that time, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

Luke 12:11-12
When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say. / For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.”


Treasury of Scripture

And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaks Benhadad, saying, Although I have sent to you, saying, You shall deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children;

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Although Ben Benhadad Ben-Hadad Ben-Ha'dad Children Deliver Demand Gold Hadad Indeed Messengers Representatives s Silver Speaketh Speaks Surely Turn Wives Words
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1 Kings 20
1. Ben-Hadad, not content with Ahab's homage, besieges Samaria
13. By the direction of a prophet, the Syrians are slain
22. As the prophet forewarned Ahab, the Syrians come against him in Aphek
28. By the word of the prophet, and God's judgment, the Syrians are smitten again
31. The Syrians submit; Ahab sends Ben-Hadad away with a covenant
35. The prophet, under the parable of a prisoner,
39. making Ahab judge himself, denounces God's judgment against him














The messengers came back
The role of messengers in ancient times was crucial for communication between kings and nations. In the Hebrew context, the word for "messengers" is "mal'akhim," which can also mean "angels" or "envoys." This highlights the importance and authority these individuals carried. Historically, messengers were often trusted officials who could negotiate and convey the will of their sovereign accurately. Their return signifies the ongoing dialogue and the seriousness of the demands being made.

and said
This phrase indicates the direct communication and the authority with which the messengers spoke. In the Hebrew text, the word "amar" is used, which is a common verb for "to say" or "to speak." It underscores the formal and official nature of the message being delivered. The messengers are not speaking on their own behalf but are conveying the words of Ben-hadad, emphasizing the weight and urgency of the message.

This is what Ben-hadad says
Ben-hadad was the king of Aram, a powerful neighbor to Israel. His name, meaning "son of Hadad," refers to the storm god worshiped in the region, indicating his royal and divine authority. The phrase "this is what" is a formulaic introduction to a royal decree, underscoring the seriousness of the message. It reflects the political tension and the threat posed by Aram to Israel at this time.

I have sent to you
This phrase indicates intentionality and purpose. The act of sending messengers was a deliberate political move. In the context of ancient Near Eastern diplomacy, sending envoys was a common practice to assert demands or negotiate terms. The phrase suggests a calculated approach by Ben-hadad to exert pressure on Ahab, the king of Israel.

to demand your silver and gold
The demand for silver and gold represents a common practice of tribute or plunder in ancient times. Silver and gold were symbols of wealth and power, and their demand signifies an attempt to weaken Israel economically. In the Hebrew text, the word "demand" implies a forceful request, highlighting the aggressive nature of Ben-hadad's intentions.

your wives and your children
This demand is particularly egregious, as it strikes at the heart of personal and familial security. In ancient cultures, wives and children were considered part of a man's household and legacy. The demand for them indicates a desire not only to humiliate but also to destabilize the social structure of Israel. It reflects the severity of the threat posed by Ben-hadad and the dire situation faced by Ahab.

Verse 5. - And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, Although [Heb. כִּי. According to some of the grammarians, this is merely the Hebrew equivalent of the ὅτι recitantis. But the כִּי אִם of the next verse suggests that there must be a connexion between the two, and that the second emphasizes the first, much as in the A.V.] I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children [Our translators have often sacrificed force to elegance by disregarding the order of the Hebrew, which here, e.g., is "Thy silver and thy gold... to me thou shalt give them."]

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The messengers
הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים (ham·mal·’ā·ḵîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

came back
וַיָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ (way·yā·šu·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

and said,
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“This is what
כֹּֽה־ (kōh-)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

Ben-hadad
הֲדַ֖ד (hă·ḏaḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1130: Ben-hadad -- 'son of Hadad', the name of several Aramean (Syrian) kings

says:
אָמַ֥ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘I have sent
שָׁלַ֤חְתִּי (šā·laḥ·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

to you
אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ (’ê·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

to demand
לֵאמֹ֑ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

your silver,
כַּסְפְּךָ֧ (kas·pə·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3701: Silver, money

your gold,
וּזְהָבְךָ֛ (ū·zə·hā·ḇə·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2091: Gold, something gold-colored, as oil, a clear sky

your wives,
וְנָשֶׁ֥יךָ (wə·nā·še·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

and your children.
וּבָנֶ֖יךָ (ū·ḇā·ne·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son


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OT History: 1 Kings 20:5 The messengers came again and said Thus (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 20:4
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